MATCH PREVIEW: BURY (A)

- David Wagner’s side to travel to Gigg Lane- Kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm- Town ran out 3-1 winners over Bury in pre-season last year

Town will take on Bury at Gigg Lane in its first pre-season game on Tuesday 10 July 2018, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm.

David Wagner’s first team will travel to Bury to face the Sky Bet League 2 outfit in his side’s first pre-season game ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign.

Bury were relegated from the Sky Bet League One last season and will play in the fourth-tier of English Football next season.

Following the sacking of manager Chris Lucketti in January, forward Ryan Lowe has been in charge of Bury on a player-manager basis.

There are several names amongst the Bury squad that will be familiar with Town fans.

Current Bury players Joe Murphy and Harry Bunn (pictured) both joined the League 2 side from Town last summer.

Former Town academy graduate Joe Skarz also joined Bury at the start of last season, whilst previous Town loanees Neil Danns and Jermain Beckford are also at the club. The latter scored eight goals in 21 league games for the Terriers when he completed a 93-day emergency loan spell with the club back in 2012.

Bury have recruited two new players so far ahead of the new season with Matthew Hudson joining from Preston North End for an undisclosed fee & Tom Miller joining on a free transfer from Carlisle United.

This won’t be The Shakers first game of pre-season as Ryan Lowe’s side were defeat by Rangers at Ibrox on Friday in Steven Gerrard’s first game in charge of the Scottish side.

It could be the first chance for Town supporters to get a glimpse of the new signings in action, although the quartet of players – including Ramadan Sobhi - who featured at the FIFA World Cup in Russia have not yet returned.

REPORT: BURY 0-4 TOWN

- Town kick off pre-season games at Bury- David Wagner plays two separate sides in each half- Goals from Pritchard, van La Parra, Sabiri and Daly

David Wagner’s side kicked off pre-season with a short trip across the M62 to face Bury as goals from Alex Pritchard, Rajiv van La Parra, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Matty Daly saw the Terriers secure a 4-0 win.

The Terriers named separate line-ups for each half at Gigg Lane allowing the large majority of the squad the opportunity to get valuable minutes into their legs.

Town’s first-half side saw both Ben Hamer and Juninho Bacuna get their first start in a Town shirt, with Terence Kongolo making his first appearance since making his move from Monaco permanent in the summer.

Juninho Bacuna was operating in the centre of midfield alongside Philip Billing and was proving effective recycling the ball in deep positions between Town’s central defenders.

Phillip Billing’s neat control drew a foul on the edge of the area that presented Town with its first real chance of the first half. Alex Pritchard took on the responsibility of the free-kick and put his effort from 20 yards narrowly over the near post.

It was Billing again who would create Town’s first goal as the Danish midfielder stepped in to intercept the ball as Bury were caught playing out from the back. The Terriers countered in a 3 vs 2 scenario with Billing feeding Pritchard who duly dispatched across the ‘keeper on his left foot.

Youngster Jordan Williams – who spent time on loan at Bury last season – made a neat run that saw him pop-up goal side of the full back as he was played through by Tom Ince, but the left-back could only fire his shot straight at Joe Murphy.

Bury pressed well in stages providing the Terriers in action during the first-half with a good test both in and out of possession.

Town’s second-half team took to the field that notably saw Abdelhamid Sabiri partner Jonathan Hogg in the centre of midfield and youngster Matty Daly operating behind Laurent Depoitre.

Rajiv van La Parra got Town’s second just three minutes into the second-half as he volleyed home a cross from the left by Chris Löwe.

The fresh legs of the second-half team allowed the Terriers to implement that signature pressing game to good effect, with some commendable moments of pressure from Daly and Sabiri.

That pressing created Town’s third as Jon Stanković played a terrific ball between the lines that found Chris Löwe again breaking through on the left. The German full-back played in a terrific cross that was met by a powerful header from Abdelhamid Sabiri for Town’s third.

Rajiv van La Parra’s pace was causing some real problems as he popped up and produced crosses from both wings which didn’t materialise into anything noteworthy.

With the game reaching its closing stages, Collin Quaner played a neat one-two with Tommy Smith that sent the German forward behind Bury’s defensive lines on the right. Quaner dinked a neat cross from the byline that picked out an unmarked Matty Daly at the far post, as the 17 year-old coolly slotted home on his weaker foot for Town’s fourth and final goal of the evening.